A prison inmate has told how a murder accused appeared to brag about stabbing his alleged victim 26 times during a conversation behind bars.
Gary Paterson, 34, told a jury how Steven Dickie, 24, told him that he attacked the man during a chat they had in a cell in Perth Prison last year.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard the pair were on remand at the time of the conversation in which Mr Dickie allegedly made the remarks.
Mr Paterson told the court that Mr Dickie offered his co-accused Callum Davidson, 24, £10,000 to “take the blame” for the attack which had something to do with a “girlfriend” being pregnant.
Mr Paterson, who is currently serving a 30 month sentence for serious assault, said: “It was like he was bragging about it.”
A prisoner of HMP Glenochil, Mr Paterson was giving evidence on the 17th day of proceedings against Mr Dickie, Mr Davidson and Tasmin Glass.
The trio, of Kirriemuir, deny murdering Steven Donaldson, 27, of Arbroath, at locations in their hometown last year.
Mr Donaldson’s body was found at Loch of Kinnordy nature reserve.
Mr Paterson told Mr Davidson’s advocate Jonathan Crowe that he and Mr Dickie had a cigarette in his cell on an occasion last year.
Mr Paterson told Mr Crowe that he asked his client what he was inside for.
He added: “He said that he had stabbed a boy 26 times.
“He said that Callum had punched him and he pulled Callum off the boy.
“It was something to do with his girlfriend being pregnant.”
Mr Paterson also said that Dickie told him that he offered his co-accused money to take responsibility for the stabbing.
He added: “Steven Dickie told me that he had offered Callum £10,000 to take the blame.
“He seemed serious enough to me. You don’t just tell something like that for nothing.”
Mr Paterson said he contacted his solicitor about what he had heard.
He added: “I told my lawyer about it. It’s no nice.”
Mr Paterson told Mr Dickie’s lawyer Ian Duguid QC about the circumstances surrounding his own prison sentence.
He added: “It’s for serious assault. I get out in June. I got 30 months at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
“I assaulted a sex offender.
“It’s not alright. I put my hands up to it.”
When Mr Duguid asked Mr Paterson whether he was concerned that fellow inmates might consider him to be a “grass”, the witness replied: “I’m no giein’ a monkey’s.”
The court earlier heard Davidson deny a claim he had made up a story that Dickie’s “jealous anger” led to him killing Mr Donaldson.
Davidson rejected the claim when questioned by Mr Duguid while giving evidence.
He added: “It’ll no be the first time things have led one thing to another in the case of Steven and love rivals.”
Meanwhile, Davidson was questioned by Mr Duguid about a baseball bat he had collected from his cousin Michael Davidson’s home on the night of June 6.
Davidson told the trial he had been asked by Dickie to get the “thingy”, adding that he knew he meant the bat because of previous requests by his co-accused to get “the thingy”.
The trio have entered not guilty pleas to all charges.
The trial, before judge Lord Pentland, continues on Monday.
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